Nisswa Elementary School students will have a chance to name the street that goes by their school.

County Road 18 will be turned back to the city after road construction is compete this summer. That road will become Merrill Avenue if the council doesn’t rename it.

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The council opted to let Nisswa students name the street. The idea is for teachers to gather student entries and narrow the students’ choices to three, which students will then vote on. The council must approve the final name.

Tim Bray, Crow Wing County highway engineer, on Wednesday, Feb. 20, touched on several topics with the council, including the federal requirement to install reflective street signs and the recommendation to replace two city bridges.

He said the highway department is sprucing up its website, and it’s looking at online permitting software to streamline the permitting process.

Bray said the highway department is doing more in-house development, and the Nisswa roundabout that the county designed is one of only two in the state not designed by a consultant.

Regarding County Road 115 — Nashway and Ojibwe roads south of downtown Nisswa — Bray said the county will undertake a planning study to engage those residents to talk about improving the road.

“It’s in tough shape,” Bray said, noting the road is not eligible for state aid money and relies solely on county levy dollars. “And it’s a large project.”

County Road 115 runs through Nisswa and Lake Edward Township.

Bray also showed the county snowplow route priority via a map on the county website. High traffic volume areas are plowed first.

Regarding icy roads, like County Roads 13 and 77, Bray said trees are an enemy in the winter by providing shade. He said plow drivers are passionate about what they do.